Just rome-in around

My love of Italy stemmed from an early age. I have my parents to blame for it because they have exposed me to Italy in all shapes and forms. For example, they would play Andrea Bocelli so that I would fall asleep as a child. I was dressed in Italian clothing from head to toe throughout the second and third grade after my mom returned with a new wardrobe for me following her “Eurotrip”. Also, after staying at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas every summer for five years in a row I was exposed to, and grew a deep fondness for gelato before even entering Italy! From the music, to the films, to the culture in its entirety, I love everything about this magical country. So of course, whenever I would think of Italy obviously The Colosseum, pizza, and gelato would instantly pop in my mind. Yes, I was that eight year old little girl whose older brother let her watch Gladiator when her parents went out on date night. I was also that sixteen year old who was the only one in the entire high school whose favorite movie was a foreign film, aka. “Cinema Paradiso” (and still is my favorite movie to this day). This movie casually won the academy award for “Best Foreign Film” in 1989, oh and not to mention is an ITALIAN film. Needless to say, I am a tad bit obsessed with Italy if you have not already noticed.

This past weekend I visited “la città eterna”…Rome…the eternal city? Didn’t any of you read the pamphlet?! If anyone remembers where that line is from, serious brownie points from me. Rome was like a dream. Seeing it in person was truly an incredible experience. My love of this eternal city began when I first watched the movie “Roman Holiday”. The city was depicted so beautifully in this film, which only heightened my want to visit. I will never forget the scene when Audrey Hepburn was woozy after taking a sedative to calm her nerves all while in the backseat of the cab telling her driver to take her to The Colosseum because that is where she lived, and naturally Gregory Peck agreeing with that statement. The poor cab driver kept responding “is wrong address” in broken English. Of course they are casually driving by all the major sights whilst this chaos is taking place. My trip to Rome was necessary because one truly cannot say they have visited Italy unless they spend a few days in the “la città eterna”. I am certainly coming back because two days was not nearly enough time.

Raindrops on Firenze & whiskers on kittens

Whoever told me not to bring rain boots to Florence was seriously disturbed! It has been raining here the past few days nonstop. However, unlike in California when it merely sprinkles and everyone scurries inside, the Italians continue leading their daily lives as if the sun is out and shining. Definitely a reality check, especially since I used to be one of those Californians who would run home at the mere sight of a droplet and watch the rain downpour from my window. Italy makes me want to run through the streets literally singing in the rain that is how happy I am to live here.  There is something so beautiful about Florence when it rains. The entire city glistens and everyone carries on about their day like it is nobodies business! Very refreshing (no pun intended). Here is a view from my bedroom window of Florence on a rainy day. The photo does not do its beauty justice…